Page 56 - Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star

Will Smith
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Unlike the madcap comedy of The Fresh Prince of
Bel-Air, the movie Six Degrees of Separation is a drama.
Reviewers paid special attention to Smith’s choice of
role. One movie critic, Ben Falk from the British
Broadcasting Company (BBC), wrote, “Anyone who
watched Will Smith’s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,
would know he had a talent for comedy. Which is why
it was strange that he decided to launch his big-screen
acting career proper with Six Degrees of Separation—a
literate, wordy and comparatively serious adaptation of
a successful stage play.” 8
Falk continued, “But anyone who doubts him will soon
be eating their words. Smith puts in a highly effective
performance as Paul. . . . Smith is the revelation, belying
his lightweight background to produce a character of
immense depth, intelligence and heart.”9
Falk’s review was one of many positive ones that Smith
received. Rita Kempley of The Washington Post said that
Smith played the role of Paul “with cheek and charisma.”10
Still, not all critics were so praiseworthy. The respected
movie reviewer Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote,
“Mr. Smith recites his lines plausibly without bringing
great passion to the role.”11
Fortunately for Smith, more critics agreed with Falk and
Kempley than with Maslin. Smith’s hard work had
transformed him from a rapper into a polished actor. Yet
Smith’s rap background still influenced what he did and
said—and one of his comments got him into a bit of trouble.